Inbox Zero is a sound concept, but even the term’s coiner (@hotdogsladies) came to learn that when Inbox Zero becomes the end itself, it’s just an avoidance behavior.

My inbox has hit zero every day for 10+ years… I’ve spent far more attention on it than is helpful.

Even good habits can become unhealthy.

If I look for the device I’ve used most often to avoid an uncomfortable feeling, a difficult problem I needed to solve, or an important bit of work that felt heavy… it wasn’t video games or eating… it was clearing out my inbox.

Getting to a clear inbox makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something. And in a way, I have. Not anything important or even urgent, nothing that gives me real satisfaction, but hey, no one can say they never got an email back from me!

That’s something, right?!

One problem with habits that are deeply ingrained is that it’s very difficult to trick your way past them. There’s an entire category of “productivity” tools that attempt to control the compulsion to check inboxes by cutting off the Internet, or certain parts of the Internet.

Over the years, I’ve tried all of the apps that cut off your access to email for a time, but here’s the problem: There’s ALWAYS a way around them. And that inbox is enticing…

The first tool I ever found that actually works is Mailman, which I’ve been using for many months.

Mailman has several features, but the revolutionary one that addresses a core problem with how the world uses email (and what exacerbates so much Inbox Sickness) is that it can deliver email on a schedule, like a Mail(person)man.

I have my email delivered at noon and 4:30pm.

But what about cheating with Mailman? Can’t you just look ahead to see what’s lurking in the inbox ahead of delivery time?

Of course! But here’s the thing: You can’t PROCESS those emails to Inbox Zero. They hang out in archive until delivered.

This short-circuited my habit.

There’s still a tendency to check things when there’s anxiety about something hard (or usually when I’m applying stupid pressure on myself), but with Mailman, I can take that glance but I can’t DO anything until later, so I can get back to my task rather than get lost.

If you don’t know what Inbox Zero is, God bless. I used to think you were living like an animal (and part of me still thinks that), but if you’re happy and your messy inbox doesn’t jam you up… I’m certain my Inbox Zero has taken more bandwidth than any background mess ever could.